It could take the rest of the year to address proposed changes to the command structure of the Prince William County Fire and Rescue Department.
The second in what will be an ongoing series of meetings with Acting Prince William County Executive Christopher Martino, Fire Chief Kevin McGee, and Chiefs from the county’s volunteer fire stations was held Thursday. County officials want more accountability for volunteer fire companies and more ways to censure, or dismiss volunteers who aren’t following the rules.
“What we tell our guys: Staff your rigs and follow the rules,” said Dale City Volunteer Fire Department Chief Christopher Hool.
After the recent closure of the Coles and Evergreen volunteer fire companies, the county proposed appointing a System Chief — presumably McGee – -to oversee all aspects of career and volunteer fire and rescue operations. Martino and fire and rescue officials on Thursday tabled discussion on a draft document outlining the roles and responsibilities of a System Chief.
Now the Volunteer Chiefs will go back and select alternates to attend these reorganizations meetings in the event of their absence. They’ll also take this opportunity between now and the next meeting on April 21 to raise awareness among their ranks of the proposed changes to the fire and rescue system.
More than 50 people — some county residents, but mostly volunteer firefighters – packed the small Cedar Run Conference Room at the Prince William County Government Center to discuss how to proceed with the proposal to change the command structure of the department.
“I’d like to see some data on this proposal… at least some numbers by which we can review county code so taxpayers know what they’re getting,” said Kathleen O’Connell, a 14-year volunteer in Dumfries. She noted volunteers save county taxpayers hundreds of thousands of tax dollars each year, and that one overall chief could undermine volunteer interests in favor of career firefighters paid with tax dollars.
“We could be a unique system with career and volunteers, and it could work great, but if you see this out here, it’s career versus volunteers,” said Lake Jackson Volunteer Fire Department Chief Walter Davis.
That type of division is one county leaders are trying to avoid. Martino said the Board of Supervisors wants the fire service to manage its members so it doesn’t have step in to merge more volunteer stations as they did with Coles and Evergreen due to staffing and disciplinary issues, respectively.
“I’m not trying to set this up as a career versus volunteer thing. When people in this county are in trouble they want help, and they don’t care what patch is on their arm,” said Martino
The road to reform could be a long one. Officials at the table spent an hour outlining a plan that would involve bringing in all volunteer fire and rescue chiefs, as well as any members of the fire service to speak at a series of public hearings.
“We need to know where do you need help,” Martino told the volunteer fire chiefs. “What day of the week? What shift? What staffing issues to you have, on which apparatus?”
“These meetings should include all the stakeholders in the system — all the rank and file. Not just the leadership in [the Department of Fire and Rescue] but those on the streets providing the service, as well,” added Martino.
The next committee meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. April 21. The meeting grew larger than the Cedar Run Conference Room, so now Martino said he would reserve an auditorium in a school, or a room at the Coles or Buckhall fire stations to accommodate the attendees.
Career and volunteer officials agree that soliciting input from more people will prolong the process, but would be worth the effort. Much more than the 50 people who showed up for Thursday’s meeting will need to attend future meetings to comment, they added.
“It’s a good idea to get input from all sides, to not only say what we want to do, but this is how we are going to do it,” said Stonewall Jackson Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department Chief Tony Cooch.
